Pre-disaster Mitigation

The Pre-disaster Mitigation (PDM) program provides technical and financial assistance to states and local governments for cost-effective, pre-disaster hazard mitigation program to reduce injuries, loss of life, and damage and destruction of property.

FEMA provides PDM grants to states that, in turn, provide sub-grants to local governments for mitigation activities such as planning and the implementation of projects identified through the evaluation of natural hazards.

Pre-disaster Mitigation FAQs

No, counties are not required to complete the plan, but every county is encouraged to because it will ensure everyone is better prepared in the event of a disaster. If a county chooses not to complete a plan, then the county will not be eligible for future hazard mitigation grant program and pre-disaster mitigation funding for projects.

During the mitigation planning process, each jurisdiction should include individuals from agencies involved in hazard mitigation activities, agencies with the authority to regulate development, and offices responsible for enforcing local ordinances are important members of the planning team. This is a good time to include businesses, academia, and other private and nonprofit interests to build a preparedness team to be able to collaborate ideas and resources to respond when a disaster occurs. The public should also be invited to participate in all aspects of the plan. Documentation needs to be kept as to how the public and others were invited and document who attends the meetings.

The county should submit the plan to SDOEM for review to ensure that no changes need to be made. If our office determines that no changes need to be made, the county and all entities that were involved in the plan should formally adopt the plan. Our office will need copies of all entities' adoption of the plan.

The county is required to review and update the plan every five years; however, it is a good idea to review plans every year to keep it up to date.